Relay.



' C. L. .KRUM.

RELAY. APPLICATION FILED mm: 1. 1908. RENEWED. 05c. 1.19M.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.v

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

C. L. KRUM.

RELAY.

1 4 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1908. 1,172,294.

RENEWED DEC. 1,1911.

Patented Feb. 22,1916.

ffii -4 JQLAM 14141,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES KRUM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO MOBKRUM COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01 KANE.

RELAY.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed June 1, 1908, Serial No. 485,888. Renewed December 1, 1911. Serial No. 663,444.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLns L. KRUM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Relays, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to polarized line relays and seeks to provide an improved construction which will be extremely sensitive, positive and rapid in operation, and particularly adapted for telegraphic work at the receiving end of the line.

The invention consists in the features of novelty hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved relay. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a diagram of the circuits.

The different parts of the relay are mounted upon a base plate 10 of brass or other non-magnetic metal, which in turn is secured to a base-board 11 of wood or fiber by screws 12. The armature lever of the relay is arranged in vertical position and is pivoted at its lower end. This armature lever is formed of soft iron and comprises a central, upper end portion 13 and a horizontal portion 14 which extends outwardly in opposite directions from the lower end of the upright portion 13, and which forms the armature of the controlling magnets. A pair of depending leg portions 15 extend downwardly from the ends of the horizontal. central portion of the armature lever and these leg portions are provided at their lower ends with socketed enlargements 16. Insulating plugs 17 of fiber or the like are seated within the sockets in the lower end portions 16 of the armature lever and carry a pair of pivot pins 18. are preferably formed of steel and have conical. outer ends which engage correspondingly-shaped seats at the inner ends of a pair of pivot supporting screws 19. One of these pi ot screws is threaded through the lower end of an upright 20 and the other is threaded through an upright lug 21. The upright 20 and lug 21 are secured to the face of the base plate 10 at opposite upper These pivot pins ing the armature lever are arranged on opposite sides of the same and each comprises two spools 24, the soft iron cores 25 of which are connected at their outer ends by a crossbar 26 of soft iron secured to the cores by screws 27. The inner ends ofthe cores of each magnet, forming the poles 25 thereof, extend through the upright part 2 8 of an L shaped magnet frame and are removably secured thereto by set-screws 29. The L- shaped frames of the electro-magnets are formed of brass and the'horizontal portions 30 thereof extend outwardly below the coils of the respective magnets. These horizontal portions of the magnet frames are provided at their inner and outer ends with depending flanges 31 and 32 and these-flanges are provided with openings thrdiigh which a pair of guide-rods 33 extend. The guide-rods are supported in horizontal position by a pair of upright brackets 34 and 35 which are fixed to the opposite ends of the base plate 10 by screws 36. The guide-rods 33 are provided with screw heads 37 at one end and extend loosely through the adjacent bracket 34. The opposite ends of the rods are threaded into suitable threaded holes in the bracket 35.

A horizontal adjusting screw 38 extends centrally through the depending flanges 32 of the magnet frames and is provided with right and left-hand threaded portions 39 and 40 which engage corresponding threaded portions in the flanges 32. The flanges 31 of the magnet frames are centrally cut away to form notches 41 (see Figs. 2 and 3) through which the adjusting screw extends. The screw is held against longitudinal movement by a pair of collars or flanges 42 which are fixed to the screw and engage the opposite faces of the bracket 34. These collars or flanges are preferably formed in one piece with a sleeve 43 which fits within a notch or recess 44 in the upper edge of the bracket 34. The sleeve 43, together with its flanges 42, is split and threaded upon the the armature. The adjusting screw is centrally arranged with reference to the magnets and magnet frames and the latter are accurately guided u on the rods 33 which extend through the anges 31 and 32 of the magnet frames on opposite sides of the adjusting screw. To further insure accurac in the adjustment of the magnets, springs 4 are coiled about the ends of the guide-rods 33 and extend between the fixed brackets 34 and 35 and the depending flanges 32 at the outer ends of the magnet frames. The pressure of these springs against the magnet frames will take up all lost motion between the adjusting screw 38 and the frames.

Suitable means are provided for normally holding the armature lever in central position between the pole pieces 25 of the magnets which are arranged opposite the horizontal portion 14 of the armature lever. By the adjusting mechanism described, the

. magnets of the relay may be quickly and easily adjusted to and from the armature lever in accordance with the varying con ditions under which the relay is operated and the faces of the pole pieces 25 of the magnets will always be maintained in parallel relation with thehorizontal portion 14 of the armature lever.

The armature lever is arranged to control a pair of contacts 48 which are preferably arranged upon opposite sides of the upper end portion 13 of the armature lever and cooperating with a contact piece 49 extending therethrough. The contacts are carried upon a pair of contact screws 50 which are threaded through lugs 51 fixed to and projecting laterally from the upper end portion 52 of the upright 20. The upright 20, as shown in Fig. 2, is bent inwardly over the adjacent magnet spools 24 and thence upwardly to form the portion 52. The lugs 51 which carry the contact screws and contacts in proper relation to the upper end of the armature lever are connected to the upper end portion 52 of the upright 20 by screws 53, but are insulated therefrom by strips 54 and washers 53 of suitable insulating material. Lock nuts 50 upon the contact screws 50 hold the latter in adjusted position.

A pair of oppositely acting, yielding stop devices are provided for normally holding the armature lever in central position between the poles of the magnets and between the contacts 48. These stop devices are preferably in the form of plungers 55 which are arranged to engage the opposite sides of the upper end portion 13 of the armature lever below the contacts 48. These stop plungers are movable longitudinally through a pair of horizontal, tubular supports 56 which are fixed to or formed upon a plate or bracket 57. This bracket is secured to the upper end portion 52 of the upright 20 by screws 58,- but is insulated therefrom by a strip 59 and washers 60 of fiber or other suitable insulating material. Each of the stop plungers'55 isprovided within the bore of the tubular support 56 with an enlarged shoulder or flange 61, and a spring 62 coiled around the plunger within the tubular support 56 extends between the shoulder 61 and the end of an adj usting plug 63 which is threaded into the outer end of the tubular support 56. The plug 63 is 1 provided with a central bore through which the outer end "of the plunger extends. The inner end of the plunger extends through the central bore of a stop sleeve 64 which is adjustably threaded into the inner end of the tubular support 56. The stop sleeve 64 and the plug 63 thus form guides for the opposite ends of the plunger The stop sleeves 64 are so adjusted in the tubular supports 56 that the plungers 55 which are forced inwardly by the springs 62, will contact with the opposite faces of the armature lever, and the shoulders or flanges 61 on the plungers will contact with the inner ends of the stop sleeves. The stop sleeves 64 thus serve to limit the inward movement of the plungers 55 under the influence of the springs 62, and the normal position of the stop plungers and of the armature may be. adjusted by screwing or unscrewing the sleeves 64. For example, by screwing one of the stop sleeves into its tubular support and the other out of its tubular support to the same extent, the armature will be shifted to one side or the other nearer to one of the operating magnets and farther away from .the other. Moreover, these stop plungers as arranged, form a dead heat centering device for the armature but permitting its movement in one or the other direction into engagement with either of the contacts 48. The stop plungers can move in one direction only from normal position, so that when the armature is shifted in one direction it will do so against the resistance of one ofthe stop plungers while the other remains stationary.- When the energizing current ceases, the shifted stop plunger will return the armature to central position but cannot overthrow it, because the inward movement of the stop plunger is limited by the engagement of the shoulder 61 thereon with the corresponding stop sleeves 63, and these stop sleeves are so set that neither of the pression of'the springs 62 may be varied as desired. These plugs and the adjusting stop sleeves 64 are provided." attheir ends with enlarged hexagon heads' or flanges 65 so of the armature is provided with two coils 66 and 67 and these coils are arranged in pairs in different circuits, one of which is thence by a conductor normally closed and the other normally, open, and one of which is usually a local circuit and the other a line circuit.

In the, arrangement shown, the pair of coils 66 in the opposed magnets are arranged to be included in a normally closed local circuit extending. from a local battery 68 by a conductor 69 to one of the coils 66, 70 to the other coil, and thence by a conductor 71 back to the local battery. A switch 7 2 may be interposed in'one side of the local circuit. The pair of coils 67 one in each of the two opposed magnets, are arranged to be included in a normally open line circuit which extends from a divided line battery 73 at a distant station, by conductors 74 and a pole changing switch 75 to a line wire'7 6 to one of the coils 67 thence by a conductor 77 to the other coil 67 and thence by a conductor 78 to ground.

The two coils of one of the pairs are 0ppositely wound, while the two coils of the other pair are wound in the same direction. That is to say, either the coils 66 in the normally closed local circuit are oppositely Wound, and the coils 67 in the line circuit are wound in the same direction, or vice versa. The coils 66 in the normally closed local circuit are so arranged that their magnetic effects upon the armature of the relay are substantially balanced so that there will normally be no force acting to shift the armature from its central position. If one of the local coils is slightly stronger than 4 the other, the magnetic efi'ects of the two 10- cal coils may be readily balanced by adjusting the stop sleeve 64 to move the armature slightly farther away from the magnet having the stronger local coil.

When the line circuit is closed to send a positive or negative impulse over the line and through the coils 67, the magnetic effect of one of these coils will be added to that of one ofthe local coils 66, and the magnetic efiect ofThe other line coil 67 will be opposed to the other of the local coils 66 so that the magnetic pull upon the armature will no longer be balanced and the latter will shift in one or the other direction into engageextremely sensitive to small line currents. The right and left-hand screw mechanism for simultaneously adjusting both the operating magnet saves much time in adapting the relay to varying conditions over that which would be necessary if the magnets were separately adjusted. The dead beat centering means for the armature holds the armature firmly in normal position and returns thesame positively thereto when the line circuit is broken. At the same time it permitsthe shift of the armature in one or the other direction into engagement with one or'the other of the contacts 48 when the positive or negativeimpulse is transmitted over the line circuit.

The improved relay requires no permanent magnet, which usually deteriorates with age. Moreover, the sensitiveness of the relay may be readily increased by increasing the strength of the local circuit. The magnetic effect is substantially proportional to the square of the ampere turns, and in the present form of relay the magnetic effect or pull acting to shift the armature is proportional to the difference between the squares of the ampere turns of the local and line coils, and this difierence may be in creased by increasing the strength of the local circuit, even though the strength of the line circuit remains the same. In other words, increasingt'he strength of the local circuit will render the relay more sensitive to small amounts of current passing over the line circuit.

The mechanical construction of the relay is such that it may be economically manufactured and the parts readily assembled or disconnected for repairs or the like. In assembling the parts the magnet frames are first threaded upon the adjusting screw 38 and the supporting and guiding rods 33 are then passed through the bracket 34' and through the flanges 31 and 32 of the magnet frames and their ends threaded into the bracket 35. The magnets are then secured in position upon the magnet frames by the screws 29. It is obvious that the other parts may be readily placed in or removed from position. At one edge, the base board 11 is provided with a series of binding posts 79 of usual construction. There are seven of these posts, three for the local circuit conductors 80, 81 and 82 leading respectively to the insulated armature and the insulated contacts 48 and operating any suitable receiving apparatus, two for the local circuit conductors 69 and 71 which connect with the pair of coils 66, and two for the line circuit conductors 76 and 78 which connect with the other pair of coils 67.

While the preferable construction is set forth, it is obvious that details may be varied without departure from the essentials of the invention.

It should be noted that the improved construction may be employed as a single acting polarized relay or have its armature interposed in a normally closed local circuit by adjusting one of the contact screws 50 into engagement with the armature. The contact screw in engagement with the armature would then form a back stop therefor, against which the armature will be held by one of the stop plungers 55. The back contact and one of the stop plungers will then form the means for holding the armature in position between the poles of the magnets. Under such circumstances, the other stop plunger could be omitted. The relay would then, if interposed in a normally open line circuit, respond to impulse of one polarity, but would fail to respond to impulse of the opposite polarity. Or if the line circuit were normally connected to one side of the line battery, and the impulses transmitted by a pole changing switch, an impulse of one polarity would shift the armature and the succeeding impulse of opposite polarity would act to quickly restore the armature to normal position.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the details set forth and in the arrangement of the circuits without departure from the essentials of the invention as defined by the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of electro-magnets arranged on opposite sides ofsaid armature lever, means for holding said armature lever in position between the poles of said magnets, and an adjusting mechanism common to both of said magnets for simultaneously moving the separate magnets in opposite directions to and from said ,arma- Lure lever.

A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said lever, a pair of electromagnets arranged on opposite sides of said armature lever, and a right and left-hand screw mechanism for simultaneously adjusting said magnets to and from said armature lever.

3. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of electro-magnets arranged on opposite sides of said armature lever. means for holding said lever in position between the poles of said magnets, a common screw mechanism engaging the frames of both of said magnets for simultaneously adjusting the same to and from said armature lever. and springs for taking up the lost motion in said screw mechanism.

4. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said lever, a pair of electro' magnets arranged on opposite sides of said armature lever, means for holding said armature lever in central position between said contacts and the poles of said magnets, a right and left-hand screw mechanism for simultaneously adjusting said magnets to and from said armature lever, and springs for taking up the lost motion of said screw mechanism.

.5. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of electro-magnets arranged on opposite sides of said armature, means for holding said armature lever in central position between the poles of said magnets, said magnets being adjustable to and from said armature lever, a screw having right and left-hand threaded portions respectively engaging the frames of said magnets, and means for holding said screw against longitudinal movement.

6. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts and a pair of electro-magnets arranged on ,opposite sides of said armature, said magnets being adjustable to and from said armature lever, a screw having right and lefthand threaded portions respectively engaging the frames of said magnets, means for holding said screw against longitudinal movement and springs bearing on the frames of said magnets for taking up the lost motion of said screw.

7. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, and a pair of electro-magnets arranged on opposite sides of said armature, means for holding said armature lever in position between the poles of said magnets, guides wherein said magnets are adjustable to and from said armature lever, a screw having right and left-hand threaded portions respectively engaging the frames of said magnets, and means for holding said screw against longitudinal movement.

8. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts and a pair of electro-magnets arranged on opposite sides of said armature, a pair of guide rods engaging the frames of said magnets .and whereon the latter are movable to and from said armature lever, a screw having a right and left-hand threaded portion respectively engaging the frames of said magnets, means for holding said screw against longitudinal movement, and springs about said guide rods and engaging the frames of said magnets for taking up the lost motion of said screw.

9. A relay comprising a base plate, a vertical armature lever pivoted at its lower end ,tosaid base plate, a pair of electro-magnets arranged on opposite sides of said armature lever, said. base plates having horizontal guides whereon said magnets are adjustable to and from said armature lever, a right and left-hand screw engaging the frames of said magnets, means on said base plate for holding said screw against longitudinal movement, an upright on said base plate, and a .pair of contacts carried by said upright on screw having right and left-hand threaded portions respectively engaging the frames of said magnets, collars on said screw engaging the opposite faces of one of said brackets, springs on said guide rods extending between said brackets and said frames,'an upright on said base plate, a pair of contacts carried by said upright on opposite sides of said armature lever, and means on said upright for holding said armature lever in central position between said contacts and the poles of said magnet.

11. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts and spring devices for holding said armature lever in central position between said contacts, a pair of electromagnets on opposite sides of said armature for shifting the same to engage one or the other of said contacts and a screw mechanism common to both of said magnets for simultaneously adjusting the same in opposite directions to and from said armature lever.

12. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said lever,a pair of yielding stops for holding said lever in central position between said contacts, a pair of electro-magnets for shifting said lever in opposite directions against the resistance of one or the other of said stops, and a common right and left-hand screw mechanism for simultaneously adjusting said magnets to and from saidarmature lever.

13. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said lever, a pair of oppositely acting stops for normally holding said lever in central position between said contacts, springs for holding said stops in nor mal position, each of said stops being movable in one direction only from normal, a pair of electro-magnets on opposite sides of said armature for shifting the same in one or the other direction against the resist.- ance of one or the other of said stops, and a screw having right and left-hand threaded portions respectively engaging the frames of said magnets to simultaneously adjust the same to and from said armature lever.

14. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said armature lever, a pair of oppositely acting yielding stop plungers in one-way engagement with the opposite sides of said lever for holding the samejn position between said contacts and a pair of electro-magnets for shifting the armature lever in opposite directions against the resistance of one or the other of said stops.

15. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts arranged on opposite sides of said lever, a pair of oppositely acting stops for holding said armature lever in position between said .contacts, springs for yieldingly holding said stops in normal position, each of said stops being movable in one direction only from normal, and a pair of electro-magnets for shifting said lever in opposite directions against the resistance of one or the other of said stops. I

16. A relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said armature, a pair of oppositely acting, yielding stops for holding said armature in central position between said contacts, a spring and a stationary stop coiiperating with each of said yielding stops to hold the same in normal position, and a pair of magnets for shifting said lever in opposite directions against the resistance of one or the other of said yielding stops.

17. A relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said armature, a pair of oppositely acting, yielding stops for holding said armature in central position between said contacts, a spring and an adjustable but normally stationary stop cooperating with each of said yielding stops to hold the same in normal position and against movement in one direction from normal, and a pair of magnets for shifting saidarmature lever in opposite directions against the resistance of one or the other of said yielding stops.

18. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said armature, a pair of yielding stop plungers engaging opposite sides of said armature lever and normally holding the same in central position between said 0011- H 19. A polarized rela comprising a pivoted armature, a pair 0 contacts on oppositesides of said armature, a pair of yielding stop plungers engaging opposite sides of said armature lever and normally holding the same in central position between said contacts, stationary stops for holding said plungers against inward movement, springs yield ngly holding said plungers against said stationary stops and a pair of electromagnets for shifting said armature lever in one or the other direction.

20. A polarized relay comprising oted armature, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said armature, a pair of yielding stop plungers engaging opposite sides of said armature lever and normally holding the same in central position between said contacts, a pair of normally stationary, adjustable stops for holding said plungers against inward movement, springs for yieldingly holding said plungers against saidstationary stops, means for adjusting the tension of said springs, and a pair of electromagnets for shifting said armature lever in one or the other direction.

21. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature, a pair of contacts on opposite sides of said armature, a pair of yielding stop plungers engaging opposite sides of said armature lever and normally holding the same in central position between said contacts, tubular supports whereon said plungers are movably mounted, stops adjustably threaded into the inner ends of said tubular supports, said plungers having shoulders engaging said stops, plugs adjust-- ably threaded into the outer ends of said. tubular supports, said stops and plugs havsaid stops are movably mounted, stationarystops and springs arranged on said support for holding said yielding stops in normal position and movable in outward direction only from normal, and a pair of magnets for shifting said armature in opposite directions against the resistanceof one or the other of said yielding stops.

23. A polarized relay comprising a base plate, an insulated armature pivoted on said ase plate, an upright on said base plate, a pair of insulated, adjustable contacts on said upright and arranged on opposite sides of said armature, a pair of yielding stop plungers normally engaging and holding said armature in central position between said contacts, an insulated support on said upright whereon said plungers are movably mounted, adjustable stops on said supports for holding said plungers against inward movement, springs for yieldingly holding said stop plungers against said adjustable a pivstops and a pair of electro-magnets for shifting said armature in one or the other direction. I

24. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a-pair of substantially balanced coils included in the closed local circuit and arranged on opposite sides of said armature lever but on the same side of the pivot thereof, .and a pair of substantially balanced coils included in the line circuit and arranged on opposite sides of said armature lever, said coils cooperating to shift said armature lever in opposite directions, in response to the transmission of positive .and negative impulses over the line circuit. 25. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature lever, a pair of oppositely acting, yielding stop devices for holding said armature .lever in central position, a spring and a stationary stop cooperating with each of said yielding stops to hold the same in normal position, two pairs of,coils.

arranged on opposite sides of said armature lever, but on the same side of the pivot thereof, one pair arranged to be included in a normally closed local circuit and the other in a line circuit and cooperating to shift said armature lever in opposite directions, and a pair of contacts controlled by said armature lever,

26. The combination of a polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature and two pairs of coils, the coils of each pair being substantially balanced and arranged on opposite sides of said armature but on the same side of the pivot thereof, a line circuit wherein one of said pairs of coils are included and a closed local circuit wherein the coils of the other pair are included.

27. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature, two pairs of coils, the coils of each pair ,being substantially balanced and arranged on opposite sides of said armature but on the same side of the pivot thereof, means for yieldingly holding said armature in position between said pairs of coils, two contacts controlled by said armature, a line circuit wherein one pair of coils are included and a closed local circuit wherein the other pair of coils are included.

28. A polarized relay comprising a pivoted armature, a pair of electromagnets arranged on opposite sides of said armature but on the same side of the pivot thereof, each of said electromagnets having two coils, two of said coils, one in each of said electromagnets, being adapted to be included in a normally closed circuit and the other two coils being adapted to be included arranged on opposite sides of said armature lever, the coils of one pair being Wound in the same direction and the coils of the other 15 pair being Wound in opposite directions and said coils cooperating to actuate said armature lever in opposite directions in response to the transmission of positive and negative impulses over the line circuit.

CHARLES L. KRUM.

Witnesses: v HARRY L. CLAPP, KATHARINE GERLACH. 

